The Phoenix Suns have been making significant changes to their roster this offseason, with a focus on building around four-time All-Star Devin Booker. While the team has made some promising moves, there are still questions about whether they can rise above a 'C' grade performance and become a playoff contender.

One of the main concerns is the lack of depth at point guard. The Suns had Tyus Jones last season, but he was traded to Orlando in free agency. Booker took on a bigger role as the team's facilitator, averaging a career-high 7.1 assists per game. However, this has also made it difficult for Coach Mike Budenholzer to find consistency at the point guard position.

Jalen Green is a talented young player who could potentially fill this void. However, he has averaged just 3.4 assists in four NBA seasons and has been inconsistent on offense. Green does have the ability to score off the bounce, but can he flourish alongside Booker? The Suns need him to shoot better than his current 42.6% career mark from the field.

Another concern is the defensive rating of the team. The Suns were ranked 27th in the league last season, and they will need to improve in this area if they want to compete with the top teams in the West. Dillon Brooks and Ryan Dunn are expected to play a key role in addressing this issue, as both players have shown the ability to defend at a high level.

Brooks has always taken on the challenge of checking anyone, and he shot a career-high 39.7% from three last season. This will be important for him to continue playing off Booker and Green, and space the floor. Dunn, on the other hand, is still developing his three-point shot, but he has shown promise in Las Vegas summer league games.

The Suns also have a young core of players who are expected to make an impact this season. Six players 23 years old or younger would be on their 15-man standard roster if the 2025-26 season started today. These include Green, Brooks, Dunn, Mark Williams, Collin Gillespie, and Khaman Maluach.

Williams is a big man who has been injury-prone in his three NBA seasons, but he puts up double-double numbers when healthy. The Suns have also encouraged Maluach to launch more threes in summer league, but it remains to be seen if this will carry over into the regular season.

The idea of playing two bigs at the same time is certainly an interesting one for the Suns. They have done it this summer with Maluach and Ighodaro, and they may choose to continue this approach in the regular season. However, whoever plays the four position must be able to hold up on the boards, especially against bigger teams.

Kevin Durant averaged six rebounds last season at power forward, so there is a benchmark for what is expected of the Suns' big men. O'Neale grabbed 4.7 rebounds last season, while Booker and Dunn each managed just 3.6. The Suns finished 25th in the league in overall rebounding last season, but 18th in defensive rebounding.

To compete with the top teams in the West, the Suns will need to improve their rebounding numbers. This may require making some adjustments to their lineup and playing style. Nick Richards is seen as insurance at the center position, but he has played in just a total of 106 games in his three NBA seasons. The Suns also have Koby Brea, another pure shooter who was drafted this offseason.

Brea led the nation in three-point shooting at 49.8% last season and has shown promise in summer league games. He is a two-way player who can shoot from anywhere on the court, which makes him an attractive asset for the Suns.

The team also has CJ Huntley and Isaiah Livers as two-way players, although they have had some injury issues. Huntley is an undrafted rookie who was compared to Cleveland Cavaliers big Jarrett Allen by Suns assistant DeMarre Carroll. Livers missed the entire 2024-25 season with a hip injury that required surgery.

Rasheer Fleming is another intriguing talent who can play both forward and center. He looks like a natural small forward, but he has also shown ability to defend on switches. The quicker he develops, the earlier he will challenge for minutes in the rotation.

Overall, while the Phoenix Suns have made some promising moves this offseason, they still have work to do if they want to rise above a 'C' grade performance. Can Booker and Green flourish together? Will Brooks and Dunn be able to space the floor and defend at a high level? The answers to these questions will determine whether the Suns can become a playoff contender.

One of the most pressing concerns is how the team will address their need for depth at point guard. Booker has taken on a bigger role as the team's facilitator, but this has also made it difficult for Coach Budenholzer to find consistency at the position. Green is a talented young player who could potentially fill this void, but he has averaged just 3.4 assists in four NBA seasons and has been inconsistent on offense.

The Suns also have a tendency to play two bigs at the same time, which can be an issue when it comes to rebounding numbers. Whoever plays the four position must be able to hold up on the boards, especially against bigger teams. This is particularly important for the Suns, who finished 25th in the league in overall rebounding last season and 18th in defensive rebounding.

The team's defense has also been a concern, with the Suns being ranked 27th in the league last season. Brooks and Dunn are expected to play a key role in addressing this issue, as both players have shown the ability to defend at a high level. Brooks has always taken on the challenge of checking anyone, and he shot a career-high 39.7% from three last season.

However, while the Suns have made some promising moves this offseason, they still have work to do if they want to become a playoff contender. The team needs to be able to score from outside, defend at a high level, and rebound effectively. They also need to find consistency at point guard, which is currently a major concern.

The Suns' young core of players is expected to make an impact this season, but they still have to prove themselves in the regular season. Green, Brooks, Dunn, Williams, Gillespie, and Maluach are all talented players who could contribute to the team's success, but they also face challenges that will determine their level of involvement.

For example, Green is expected to play a key role at point guard, but his ability to facilitate the offense and score off the bounce will be crucial. Brooks has always taken on the challenge of checking anyone, but he needs to continue playing off Booker and Green to space the floor and defend at a high level.

Dunn is still developing his three-point shot, but he has shown promise in Las Vegas summer league games. Williams is a big man who has been injury-prone in his three NBA seasons, but he puts up double-double numbers when healthy. The Suns have also encouraged Maluach to launch more threes in summer league, but it remains to be seen if this will carry over into the regular season.

The team's defense will also be a major focus for the Suns, who finished 27th in the league last season. Brooks and Dunn are expected to play a key role in addressing this issue, as both players have shown the ability to defend at a high level. However, while the Suns have made some promising moves this offseason, they still have work to do if they want to become a playoff contender.

In order for the Suns to rise above a 'C' grade performance and become a playoff contender, they will need to address several key areas of concern. First and foremost, they need to find consistency at point guard. This is currently a major concern, with Booker taking on a bigger role as the team's facilitator.

Green is a talented young player who could potentially fill this void, but he has averaged just 3.4 assists in four NBA seasons and has been inconsistent on offense. The Suns also need to find ways to score from outside, which was an issue last season. They have Brooks and Dunn as players who can space the floor and defend at a high level, but they will need to continue playing off Booker and Green.

The team's defense is another area of concern, with the Suns being ranked 27th in the league last season. Brooks and Dunn are expected to play a key role in addressing this issue, as both players have shown the ability to defend at a high level. However, while the Suns have made some promising moves this offseason, they still have work to do if they want to become a playoff contender.

In order for the Suns to rise above a 'C' grade performance and become a playoff contender, they will need to find ways to improve in these areas. This includes finding consistency at point guard, scoring from outside, and defending at a high level. They also need to rebound effectively and address any issues with their lineup.

One of the most pressing concerns for the Suns is how they will address their need for depth at point guard. Booker has taken on a bigger role as the team's facilitator, but this has also made it difficult for Coach Budenholzer to find consistency at the position. Green is a talented young player who could potentially fill this void, but he has averaged just 3.4 assists in four NBA seasons and has been inconsistent on offense.

The Suns also have a tendency to play two bigs at the same time, which can be an issue when it comes to rebounding numbers. Whoever plays the four position must be able to hold up on the boards, especially against bigger teams. This is particularly important for the Suns, who finished 25th in the league in overall rebounding last season and 18th in defensive rebounding.

The team's defense has also been a concern, with the Suns being ranked 27th in the league last season. Brooks and Dunn are expected to play a key role in addressing this issue, as both players have shown the ability to defend at a high level. However, while the Suns have made some promising moves this offseason, they still have work to do if they want to become a playoff contender.

In order for the Suns to rise above a 'C' grade performance and become a playoff contender, they will need to find ways to improve in these areas. This includes finding consistency at point guard, scoring from outside, and defending at a high level. They also need to rebound effectively and address any issues with their lineup.

The Suns' young core of players is expected to make an impact this season, but they still have to prove themselves in the regular season. Green, Brooks, Dunn, Williams, Gillespie, and Maluach are all talented players who could contribute to the team's success, but they also face challenges that will determine their level of involvement.

For example, Green is expected to play a key role at point guard, but his ability to facilitate the offense and score off the bounce will be crucial. Brooks has always taken on the challenge of checking anyone, but he needs to continue playing off Booker and Green to space the floor and defend at a high level.

Dunn is still developing his three-point shot, but he has shown promise in Las Vegas summer league games. Williams is a big man who has been injury-prone in his three NBA seasons, but he puts up double-double numbers when healthy. The Suns have also encouraged Maluach to launch more threes in summer league, but it remains to be seen if this will carry over into the regular season.

The team's defense will also be a major focus for the Suns, who finished 27th in the league last season. Brooks and Dunn are expected to play a key role in addressing this issue, as both players have shown the ability to defend at a high level. However, while the Suns have made some promising moves this offseason, they still have work to do if they want to become a playoff contender.

In order for the Suns to rise above a 'C' grade performance and become a playoff contender, they will need to address several key areas of concern. First and foremost, they need to find consistency at point guard. This is currently a major concern, with Booker taking on a bigger role as the team's facilitator.

Green is a talented young player who could potentially fill this void, but he has averaged just 3.4 assists in four NBA seasons and has been inconsistent on offense. The Suns also need to find ways to score from outside, which was an issue last season. They have Brooks and Dunn as players who can space the floor and defend at a high level, but they will need to continue playing off Booker and Green.

The team's defense is another area of concern, with the Suns being ranked 27th in the league last season. Brooks and Dunn are expected to play a key role in addressing this issue, as both players have shown the ability to defend at a high level. However, while the Suns have made some promising moves this offseason, they still have work to do if they want to become a playoff contender.

In order for the Suns to rise above a 'C' grade performance and become a playoff contender, they will need to find ways to improve in these areas. This includes finding consistency at point guard, scoring from outside, and defending at a high level. They also need to rebound effectively and address any issues with their lineup.

The Suns' young core of players is expected to make an impact this season, but they still have to prove themselves in the regular season. Green, Brooks, Dunn, Williams, Gillespie, and Maluach are all talented players who could contribute to the team's success, but they also face challenges that will determine their level of involvement.

For example, Green is expected to play a key role at point guard, but his ability to facilitate the offense and score off the bounce will be crucial. Brooks has always taken on the challenge of checking anyone, but he needs to continue playing off Booker and Green to space the floor and defend at a high level.

Dunn is still developing his three-point shot, but he has shown promise in Las Vegas summer league games. Williams is a big man who has been injury-prone in his three NBA seasons, but he puts up double-double numbers when healthy. The Suns have also encouraged Maluach to launch more threes in summer league, but it remains to be seen if this will carry over into the regular season.

The team's defense will also be a major focus for the Suns, who finished 27th in the league last season. Brooks and Dunn are expected to play a key role in addressing this issue, as both players have shown the ability to defend at a high level. However, while the Suns have made some promising moves this offseason, they still have work to do if they want to become a playoff contender.

In order for the Suns to rise above a 'C' grade performance and become a playoff contender, they will need to find ways to improve in these areas. This includes finding consistency at point guard, scoring from outside, and defending at a high level. They also need to rebound effectively and address any issues with their lineup.

The team's defense is another area of concern, with the Suns being ranked 27th in the league last season. Brooks and Dunn are expected to play a key role in addressing this issue, as both players have shown the ability to defend at a high level. However, while the Suns have made some promising moves this offseason, they still have work to do if they want to become a playoff contender.

In order for the Suns to rise above a 'C' grade performance and become a playoff contender, they will need to find ways to improve in these areas. This includes finding consistency at point guard, scoring from outside, and defending at a high level. They also need to rebound effectively and address any issues with their lineup.

The Suns' young core of players is expected to make an impact this season, but they still have to prove themselves in the regular season. Green, Brooks, Dunn, Williams, Gillespie, and Maluach are all talented players who could contribute to the team's success, but they also face challenges that will determine their level of involvement.

For example, Green is expected to play a key role at point guard, but his ability to facilitate the offense and score off the bounce will be crucial. Brooks has always taken on the challenge of checking anyone, but he needs to continue playing off Booker and Green to space the floor and defend at a high level.

Dunn is still developing his three-point shot, but he has shown promise in Las Vegas summer league games. Williams is a big man who has been injury-prone in his three NBA seasons, but he puts up double-double numbers when healthy. The Suns have also encouraged Maluach to launch more threes in summer league, but it remains to be seen if this will carry over into the regular season.

The team's defense will also be a major focus for the Suns, who finished 27th in the league last season. Brooks and Dunn are expected to play a key role in addressing this issue, as both players have shown the ability to defend at a high level.